The Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, has launched a N2.79 billion loan initiative to support farmers across the 186 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the seven states of the North-West geo-political zone.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday in Abuja, Barau, who represents the Kano North Senatorial District, stated that the scheme aims to create 558 young farmer millionaires across the region.
According to him, the initiative will benefit 69 farmers each from Kaduna and Sokoto states, 132 from Kano, 63 from Kebbi, 102 from Katsina, 81 from Jigawa, and 42 from Zamfara.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Policy and Monitoring, Prof. Bashir Fagge, Barau explained that the programme, titled “Barau Initiative for Agricultural Revolution in the North West” (BIARN), will select three young farmers from each of the 186 LGAs in the seven states. Each beneficiary will receive N5 million in interest-free loans to invest in farming, with the programme set to commence in April 2025.
He emphasized the importance of food security, stating, “Food security is paramount and at the top of the agenda of progressive nations globally. Without it, you are insecure at the individual, family, local government, state, and country levels.”
Reflecting on the region’s agricultural past, Barau added, “Decades ago, the North, especially the North-West, was our country’s food basket, producing agricultural products for national consumption and export. However, that has become history.”
To restore the region’s agricultural prominence, Barau said he initiated the BIARN programme to empower young farmers and leverage the vast arable land across the North-West states. The programme is being implemented in collaboration with the Barau I Jibrin Foundation (BIJF) and a national financial institution.
Prof. Fagge reiterated that the programme will officially launch in April 2025, with the N2.79 billion loan facility being disbursed to selected beneficiaries. He highlighted that the scheme will guide farmers in cultivating maize and rice, aiming to enhance crop yields, reduce food costs, and strengthen food security both regionally and nationally.
“The core objective of this initiative is to revolutionize agricultural production in North-West Nigeria by empowering youths with a background in agriculture,” Fagge stated.
